Eye for an Eye
by upinmyownclouds
Summary: When Pein revived the shinobi of the hidden leaf village, no one knew that that included S-rank criminal Itachi Uchiha. That is until Sakura Haruno stumbles across him on the battlefield. What will she do? How does this impact Sasuke? Which Uchiha will Sakura fall for? Together Itachi and Sakura must save not only Sasuke, but also the rest of the hidden leaf from Madura's plans...
1. Chapter 1

Eye for an Eye

This story well be written in this vignette type of setup, each chapter will explain the relationship between Sakura and Itachi. This will show everything from detailing how she found them on the battlefield to fighting alongside him against such opponents such as the Akatski and Sasuke Uchiha himself. Sakura wants to help save Sasuke and sees Itachi as a means to do just that, but she never intended for her feelings to get in the way.

Unlike most clans in the hidden leaf village, the Haruno family had no particularly special abilities. Yet I always prided myself on being able to figure out if someone was lying, there was a certain aura that hung around a liar, it left a bad taste in my mouth. Well that was until I met S-rank criminal Itachi Uchiha. It had happened on sheer accident that I stumbled upon him, perhaps if I knew what would happen I never would have went back to that damn battlefield. I could not read him, nor decipher his intentions. Perhaps it was an Uchiha trait to naturally be mysterious, but it was maddening. It did not help that as he lay in front of me, I felt a pang of guilt for the man that had slaughtered his very own people. I hated myself for feeling for this shinobi, yet it didn't help the face that I did. A bloody bandage was wrapped around where his eyes were, I did what I could for his pain. He never complained once even though I knew he had to be in agony, I could only do so much for him. Bringing him into the village was not exactly an option so we would have to make do with what we had here.

While he laid unconscious I ran a quick medical diagnostic on his body, it was then I found the disease festering in his chest. This sickness was settled deep into his body, he had carried it around for quite some time, it was no surprise Sasuke could beat Itachi in this state. I did not know particularly what this disease was, I did not even know if I could completely heal him. The only thing I did know without a doubt was that I could slow down the process, using my own chalkra to eat away at the diseased cells. Every time I sat above him working to remove the sickness from his bones, he would use this opportunity to tell me about the night he killed his people. The first time I instantly stopped and left him lying there, coughing up blood. My stomach tightened in a sickening knot as I imagined the look in his mother's eyes as he killed her.

Sasuke never wanted any sympathy or compassion, but my heart could not help but hurt for my former teammate. No one could ever imagine what he went through, not even Naruto. I know Kakashi-sensei tried to be there for Sasuke, but his drive for power and revenge overshadowed everything else. Every time I sat for a healing session with Itachi I soon found myself staying longer and longer, something made me want to listen to him, to understand perhaps. His voice was so quiet, yet commanding. I no longer loved Sasuke the way that I once had, yet I still cared deeply for him. I thought if I knew what happened that night, I might be better able to help him. One night I sat perched above Itachi as he finished his tale from start to finish. His calm voice never once wavered.

I did not know how to react when he stopped speaking. My first reaction was to call him a liar and a traitor and run out of the room, yet there was something that rang true about his story. I had seen the cruelty of the people in this village firsthand, the way they treated Naruto as if he was a wild animal. Yet of course now that Naruto saved the village, the same people that were once so cruel have suddenly become his number one fans. It made me sick as I walked through the village hearing these people sing his praise. I also held very little trust for Danzo and the ANBU, it makes sense they would see the Uchiha as a threat. Kakashi was the perfect example of how dangerous the sharingan can be. Yet would they really order the massacre of an entire village? How was it possible that no one had discovered the truth by now? There were more questions that I had, but Itachi and I had both pushed ourselves far enough for one day.

I watched in amazement as I stared at the S-rank criminal, while he was still an adult in form, I found myself staring into the face of a broken thirteen year old boy. Most people forgot that he was just a child as well when this took place, he was used and it made me sick. I could only imagine how many other lies we had been fed over the past years. Slowly I found myself questioning who I could really trust in the village. I did not touch him at first just simply watched as his shoulders shook violently, I knew that turning him in would not truly have no benefit. In my opinion he was already being tortured enough, and I knew him better than to think he would turn over any information to the interrogation team. Itachi was quiet, yet I knew if I was patient I could perhaps get more information of him than they could. I knew there was a chance that if I turned him in Sasuke would come looking for him, but that would also be putting both of them in considerable danger. I breathed slowly, the most important thing right now was making sure Itachi's health was stable. Although from what I had learned so far I am not quite sure if in the end it would make him my enemy or ally. He shook as I brought my hand up to meet his lips, they were softer than I expected.

"Sakura, I didn't want to do it," I hushed him gently and pulled his head into my lap. I ran my hands through his long brown hair that had escaped from his pony tail. I was going to help both Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha...even if it was the last thing I did.


	2. Chapter 2

I had walked past the empty Uchiha complex a thousand times, but after hearing Itachi's story I found myself staring in fascination at the abandoned buildings. The once prospering village had fallen victim to time and decay. It was late, the sun had long since set. Yet I could feel eyes watching me as I leaned against the wooden entrance trying to stop the whirlwind of thoughts that spiraled through my head. _It was the only way I could save Sasuke. I killed my mother and father in our home...that was when Sasuke walked in to see the blood dripping from my blade._ I tried to shake Itachi's velvet voice out of my mind. There was something about his words...something memorizing, and I found I could not stop myself from seeing the images they conjured up. I stared up at the slightly grey building, it sat in the middle of the whole complex, the same building that Sasuke walked in to find his parents dead. My chest tightened painfully making it increasingly difficult to breathe. I tore myself away from the decaying post and started off towards the woods. My muscles groaned in protest as I twisted through the air leaping from branch to branch. The feeling of being watch gradually lessened the farther I got from the Uchiha complex, and for that I was thankful.

When I got back to the hut Itachi was asleep huddled close to a crackling fire, I was mindful to keep a respectful distance between us. It was a far cry from the comforts of the Uchiha compound, but for now it provided shelter and a clever genjutsu placed by Itachi would keep us safe from unwanted visitors. It was a fair distance away from the village, but close enough to avoid any ninja from the other lands. It had been built by Sasuke and Naruto years ago during a rainstorm when we were training with Kakashi-sensei. I was thankful that all of them seemed to have simply forgotten about the little hut and had avoided it ever since. I cast a glance up at the tree I sat in while I watched those two brainless bulls try to actually work together. A smile found its way to my face, it was a nice memory, pure and untainted. Even though it was nothing spectacular I was thankful for the shelter that it provided. I sat huddled by the fire, each crackle set my teeth on edge. I stared at Itachi over the yellow flames, his shaking shoulders let me know that he was still breathing.

I was exhausted from our previous healing sessions, my chalkra did not have the opportunity to replenish before I had to begin again. I could sense his weakened chalkra, as he struggled for each breath he took. I knew that if I did not continue to heal him that he would die, perhaps more peacefully than he deserved. Something deep in my gut was screaming at me that he deserved to die...again. I did not realize that I had slipped my hand onto the hilt of the kunai blade until I was unsheathing it.

It was unusually heavy in my hand as I approached his still form. He was a man that had caused so much pain and unnecessary suffering, he had murdered women and children. What right did he have to live when he had taken the life of so many others? My hand began to sweat uncontrollably as I struggled to get a powerful grip on the blade. My mind was clear of all ration and irrational thought, all that remained was the deafening noise of static. With a shaking hand I raised the kunai and drove it deep into Itachi's throat, his voice only came out as erratic garbles. He thrashed around for a few moments more before he finally gave in and stopped moving. The fire reflected off of his beautifully deadly feature now marred with crimson. His long Raven black hair spilled over his shoulder, revealing a face that was too familiar for comfort . For an instant Sasuke was there staring back at me with hallow eyes. What had I done? I was no better than him now. One final time I took the kunai blade and sunk it into my own chest...right into the heart. I collapsed nect to Itachi's lifeless body. What a sight we would be when they found us.

A strong burst of pain made me shoot my eyes open as I came face to face with Itachi. My breathing was so erratic that I suppose it must have awoken him from his sleep. A dream...that was all it was...it meant nothing. Although a tiny voice in my mind would not let me forget the image it left behind. The freedom I felt when I saw Itachi's bleeding form, the relief. I shook my head, he was innocent. No matter how hard it would be for me to prove it, no matter what I had to sacrifice, I would. My eyes snapped up to the warm curve of his jaw, my nose was over powered with the smell of earth and fire that clung to him like a second skin. The bandage was once again firmly tied around his eyes, yet somehow I still felt as though he was watching me.

"If you are going to kill me, then let it be quick," I did not realize till now the pain that woke me up was Itachi's wrist crushing my own. In my hand I held a kunai blade, I suppose I must have grabbed it in my sleep. To my surprise he slowly brought my hand up to his neck, so that the tip was pressed firmly against his flesh.

"Let me go, I am not going to kill you. We are here to save your brother," I ripped my hand from his iron grasp, a look of disappointment quickly passed his features. In that moment I wanted to slap him for being so selfish, yet I knew he never acted without just cause. I brought my hand up to touch his cheek, but I was met with nothing but thin air. I spun around to find the actual Itachi looming over the doorway, a smirk graced his lips. Was it a test? And more importantly had I passed?


	3. Chapter 3

I used to think that love and hate were two polar opposites, that surely one cannot exist where the other one already has its roots, but I was wrong. I stared across the battlefield at the boy that I loved more than anything in the world and could not help but hate the ground he walked on. In a sense I suppose the Sasuke I loved died when he left the village. The thing that stood across from me was simply a shell, a shell that killed indiscriminately simply to gain power. The mere thought of what he had done was enough to make me sick. Itachi's voice echoed annoyingly in the back of my head. _  
Are you sure you even knew him?_

As much as I hated hearing that question asked I often found myself pondering the answer. Was everything an act this whole time? Was he simply using Naruto and Kakashi-sensei to get stronger? It was possible I suppose, but Sasuke had risked his life countless times to save Naruto and myself, surely that had to mean something. I had to believe that I knew him, I had to believe that there was still something inside the Uchiha that wanted to be saved. If I didn't then it would destroy me.

Naruto and I could not give up on him, he was there somewhere perhaps beneath all the hatred was the man I loved. I had loved him for so long maybe I just did not know how to stop. The words he spoke grated against my ears, they were harsh and rough laced with poison, it was painfully obvious that he was merely being used as a pawn. I made a conscious attempt to stop my hands from shaking, I could feel the early signs of shock working its way through my nervous system. I had come so close to death...he had wanted to kill me. The bloodlust that filled his eyes was enough to send my heart racing. He did not even hesitate, like killing me was nothing, like it meant nothing. Sure I had come here with the intention to kill him, but we both knew that in the end I would be unable to do it. Perhaps I was naive enough to believe he would feel the same with me. It was a mistake I could not afford to make again.

Naruto was panting next to me after his fight with Sasuke, if it was not for him I would've been dead. A part of me wished I could love Naruto the way I did Sasuke, but I could find it in myself to care for him the way he deserved. I tried not to show how much Sasuke's betrayal hurt me, yet I was powerless to stop the cheeks that fell down my face. Madara stood next to Sasuke, peering at him through his mask, like a proud puppeteer, the sight made my blood boil. Itachi warned me that this masked Uchiha would try to drag Sasuke down with him, but I did not believe him till now.

I half thought that Sasuke was too smart to fall for such an obvious trick, I had greatly underestimated Sasuke's lust for power. Naruto stood beside me as always begging for Sasuke to come home to us, maybe neither of us had faced the reality of our new teammate's loyalty. Yet to completely give up on Sasuke was not an option for us either. As always he shunned our attempts for a reconciliation and with a parting threat left Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, and myself as frustrated as usual. I watched as he vanished in a mass of time and space. As I watched him disappear I could not help but want a different Uchiha to suddenly appear in front of me. I shook the thought from my head, I had to focus on the present.

"Sakura," I raised my eyes to stare at my blonde haired teammate, I did not have any idea how long I was staring out into nothingness.

"Thank you for saving my life Naruto," I tried to give a comforting smile, but I knew that it fell a bit short. He pressed a hand against my shoulder.

"I will bring him back I promise," I met his eyes and I knew that he still really thought that he could. I did not have the heart to tell him that I was starting to lose hope. I simply nodded.

"We need to go back and report to the elders and tell them about Danzo's death," Kakashi's voice cut through the fog in my mind, snapping me out of whatever fog I had gotten lost in.

"You and Naruto go ahead of me, I will catch up. I just need a bit to rest," Naruto opened his mouth to no doubt object, but Kakashi grabbed the stubborn ninja by the collar and led him back into the woods. Danzo, or what was left of him, was splayed out along the pavement. I waited a few moments to make sure they were not hanging around before I approached Danzo's right arm. Two untouched eyes were hidden beneath the sleeve of his robe. Perhaps, just maybe, I would be able to transfer them to Itachi. Without hesitation I began the extraction process...it was going to be a long night.

"You are smarter than I give you credit for," Itachi's distinctive drawl made me nearly lose focus of what I was doing. His compliment made my cheeks redden just slightly.

"It would be a waste to leave these here without at least trying. Besides if we are going to help Sasuke you will have to have your sharingan," as I hovered over Danzo careful to keep the tendons in tact I silently wondered if he had been here the whole time.

"I wouldn't of let him kill you," if I did not know better than I would swear he could read my mind. I carefully placed the eyes in a container and placed them gently back in my side pouch. When I turned around to face Itachi I was not expecting to find him standing so close to me. I did not move as he brought a hand to my face and carefully tucked a stray piece of hand behind my ear.

"Thank you Itachi," in what I assumed was an affectionate gesture he placed his middle and pointer finger on my forehead.

"It is a shame my brother does not realize how special you are," I found myself at a loss for words as Itachi took off back into the direction of our cabin. Surely he was just praising my medical jutsu, right?


	4. Chapter 4

The sun clung desperately to the mountainside as the last rays of sunlight were beaten down by the impending night sky. The sudden chill of night settled on my shoulders like one of my grandmother's hand stitched quilts leaving an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach. Somewhere beneath the hidden, sloped valleys Sasuke Uchiha was plotting the downfall of the hidden leaf and I stood here utterly powerless. My eyes scanned the hillside as the once busy glades were quickly abandoned by the weaker prey as the predators slowly slipped from their hiding places, the shadows all but concealing their movement. I could feel his eyes boring into the back of my head, his gaze held a weight that I had never experienced before. Itachi had taken to the eyes well almost as if they were his own, I still had not become used to the way they moved over my form. My very own predator stood ten feet behind me, but for some reason I could not find the fear that should have me paralyzed. Every night we stood here still as statues taking in the sunset together as if we were lovers, he did not speak during the evenings, he just watched me intently before disappearing. My fingers dug into the flesh of my palm leaving a faint trail of blood running down my hand, the silence was maddening.

"Why can we not go to Sasuke now and explain everything to him?" I turned my head to the side, keeping the oldest Uchiha in the corner of my eye. The first time I saw his face, it was nestled between the worn pages of Sai's BINGO book. There in black and white beneath his painfully familiar image was the inscription: 'Itachi Uchiha S-Class criminal wanted for the murder and annihilation of the Uchiha clan. Suspected affiliation with the Akatski the rest of the words were lost on me as I found myself lost in his image. He was so similar to Sasuke, yet strikingly different in a unique way. His long brown hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, a few rebellious strands slipped out and fell in his almond shaped eyes. Dark pools stared back, eyes so dark they were nearly black, they sat upon high, elegant cheekbones. His jaw was angular, attaining a certain maturity that Sasuke lacked. I would have considered him handsome, if it was not for the dead look that existed buried deep within those eyes...even now.

"My brother is not a fool he has surrounded himself with powerful allies, not even including the other Uchiha. You are exhausted, the healing process is taking its toll on you, and I myself am still gaining my strength and becoming accustomed to these eyes. We are in no condition to face him now, no doubt when he sees me Madara's sick mind games will make him believe I am a figment of a cruel genjutsu and throw him into a confused rage. He has become stronger, the best we can do now is follow him and make sure he doesn't destroy everything the hidden leaf is trying to create," he trailed off silently perhaps feeling the weight of our mission such as I have been. I thought of asking him if he thought the two of us were enough for such a task, but I stopped myself.

We had to be enough for Sasuke, if we weren't then no one would be. I couldn't have any doubt in my head, he could sense it. Itachi was a wanted criminal, his death kept his enemies in the dark, it was the only advantage we had. I couldn't exactly walk into the middle of the village with him and expect everyone to welcome him with open arms. I trusted Tsunade, but I quickly found out the Hokage alone is not enough to protect someone or overrule the elder's wishes. The thought of a certain white haired ninja ran through my mind, but I shook the thought out of my head. Kakashi-sensei would only complicate things even further, the less people knew the fewer people we had to worry about.

I inhaled wincing slightly as my chest muscles constricted with each breath I took, he was right. Most of my chalkra was gone, I was in no condition for a fight. Itachi's illness was aggressive, every time I pushed it back it seemed it came back ten times stronger. I was not quite sure how he survived as long as he had without medical ninjutsu, his strength still left me amazed. I turned my attention back out towards the hilltops, I knew one thing for sure. If we were going to be able to face Sasuke, I would have to find a way to cure Itachi, the strength to contain it left us both too vulnerable. Although this task was easier said than done, I had taken a blood sample when I first discovered his body back by the village. I had never seen this disease before and from the medical texts I scoured no one else had either. Another strong breeze blasted through the woods, it was the kind of wind that made your bones cold. I shivered involuntarily, it seemed winter was not far off the horizon. A large black cloak was suddenly around my shoulders protecting me from the caress of the wind, a pair of hands rested on my forearms.

"I am not scared to die," he whispered so faintly I thought for a moment I might have imagined the whole thing, "but I am scared to leave this world worse than I left it. You saved me Sakura, I will not let that be in vain," before I could think about what I was doing I leaned back into his tall form. He froze for a moment before wrapping his arms around my waist and holding me close. He rested his chin atop my head as a thousand worries and cares seemed to be forgotten. Perhaps it was a primal instinct that stirred within us, a primitive need for the comfort of another, whatever it was we both needed it just as much as we needed oxygen. I watched the wolves on the hillside take down a young buck, I could feel Itachi smile as they tore through the carcass. We were not lovers, friends, or allies, we were something much more complicated.


	5. Chapter 5

I remember quite vividly the first time he touched me. It had been a sheer accident, a mere brushing of shoulders in a cramped, confined space, but it had been enough to send a whirlwind of thoughts racing through my head. After that I found myself purposefully standing closer to the ninja then necessary or leaning forward a bit more than the socially acceptable level just to feel his skin against mine. Perhaps I craved it because it reminded me that this wasn't a dream, that he was very real and right in front of me. The first kiss was another story, and it was no accident. The half scrawled letter in front of me seemed to blur in and out of focus as I recalled the previous nights events.

I hated the way my gut twisted violently at the first sign of a thunder storm, I suppose I looked like a dog with its tail between its legs. It was a childish fear that paralyzed me completely. I laid on the cold, stone floor of the cave curled into myself as the walls around me shook violently from the roar of the thunder. My mother used to tell me not to be afraid, but that was not how real fears worked. You could not tell someone to stop being afraid to the very thing that sat their teeth on edge and caused every hair on the back of their necks to stand on edge. After being killed in battle more times than I could even count I would have assumed that this fear would be long since behind me, but as the storm rage I was still the little girl shaking under the covers. I did not register his presence right away, perhaps he had been standing there for hours I really could not say. His regular absence had taught me not to expect to see him much during the hours that I was awake.

I turned my head up slightly to take in his surprisingly dry form, completely untouched by the rain. I hated letting him see me like this, shaking and weak. The whole scene left a bitter taste in my mouth. For a second I regretted giving him those eyes, then again he seemed to see well enough without them. I dropped his gaze as another clap of thunder roared around us, wishing he would leave me in peace. I was not that lucky. He slowly made his way over to me like a wolf staring at an injured doe. I did not hesitate to reach the hand out before me that he offered. My legs threatened to cave in, but I gritted my teeth and bared through the pain.

"I wonder what frightens you more Sakura, me or the thunder," his sharingan flashed dangerously in the dim moonlight. I could not move beneath his stare, all I could do was bite my tongue in protest. The interaction was gentle at first as he ran a finger down my cheek following the trail my tears were traveling.

"I am not afraid of you," my voice was weak and unconvincing even to my own ears, his musical laughter was a welcome reprieve from the sound of the storm.

"That is your first mistake, my parents weren't afraid at first either. Do not underestimate me," then before I could register what was happening his lips crashed against mine, hard. I had always envisioned my first kiss being with an Uchiha, but he was most definitely not the one I had in mind. I would be lying though if I said the kiss didn't make me feel dizzy straight down to my fingertips.

"Your first," he mumbled against my lips. How could he have known?

Then my memory abruptly ends, I perhaps passed out from a combination of fear and shock. All I do know is that when I woke up this morning I was wrapped in his robe and my lips tasted dimly of blackberries and fire. He had disappeared this morning as usual and I was not going to go out of my way to find him. Our goal was to find Sasuke and save him, so I didn't know how everything was becoming so complicated. I had to face the truth, I wanted that kiss and I wanted more. I just did not know yet what the meant. The pen in my hand snapped, dragging my attention back at the reality ahead of me.

Itachi and I had agreed that in order to keep an eye on Sasuke and prepare ourselves for the future it would be necessary to leave the safety of the leaf village and pursue the younger Uchiha in complete secret. It was easy enough for me to convince Lady Tsunade to allow me to leave the village in search of rare extracts and plants that I had come across in my research in the library. With the war impending there was no telling exactly what we had to be prepared for. To me surprise Naruto was harder to convince, he clung on to my leg like a puppy begging its master to stay, then again maybe it wasn't that surprising. The only thing that silenced his constant begging was my agreement to write to him frequently and keep him in the loop about my activities. I was just thankful that Kakashi did not ask me many questions, but there was a sparkle in his dark eyes that gave me an unnerving feeling that he knew the something more than he let on. The harder I stared at the parchment in front of me the more I found my language changing, in my letters I started sounding more detached, uninterested. A sense of frustration overwhelmed my senses as I bunched up the paper and threw it to the wayside, Naruto was not an idiot he would notice the slightest change in my behavior. I would just tell him that I was busy and could not write to him today.

A twig in the distance snapped, I assumed it was Itachi. I continued walking back the way until a hand suddenly grabbed my waist throwing me back into a hard, muscular form. I balled up my fists ready to fight, until a sword was suddenly placed against my throat, a sword I was all too familiar with this was not good.

Reviews are always appreciate! Sorry I couldn't resist the cliffhanger ;)


	6. Chapter 6

The blade that was held steadfast against my throat wavered slightly, perhaps most people would not notice, but I did. This figure behind me was not a shadow clone, clones do not shake nor do they breathe. His breath was hot against my neck, he was closer for comfort than I cared to admit. A thousand different ideas ran through my head, almost too many to count. From this distance fighting was not an option, as soon as he felt me tense up no doubt that blade would be lodged deep in my throat. On the other hand I would not be able to run anywhere that he could not easily find me. His deep baritone voice took me by surprise, as if I had forgotten the sound.

"What are you doing so far from the village, Sakura?" I expected to feel some sort of enthusiasm at seeing him alive and well, but all I could feel was my heartbeat pounding in my ears. I did not move as he slowly worked his way around so I came face to face with the boy that once meant the world to me. He had not changed much since the run in with Danzo, the thought sent a shiver up my spine. His face was as cold as ever, his sharingan stared a hole straight through me. I hated to admit that my fear had me utterly paralyzed.

"I do not know what business that would be of yours, Uchiha," I did nothing to hide the venom that laced my voice, and I noticed the slight sparkle of surprise that flashed through those dark eyes for just a moment. The urge to run was making my legs twitch violently, but I knew no matter how far I ran I was outmatched. I had no idea where Itachi was and even if he was around I doubted if he would expose himself to Sasuke so early in our mission. I could not help but wonder how he would let me wander so close to Sasuke.

"That's awfully harsh Sakura," he narrowed his eyes and slowly took in my form, "something in you has changed. I cannot put my finger on exactly what it is," a wave of panic overtook me, I had never been good at lying. I took a small step back, but he did not miss a beat following me close behind. He did not allow the blade to rest gently, rather with each step he dug it in a bit deeper. I did not lie to Itachi when I said I wanted to save Sasuke, he was a part of my team and even now a friend. Although I knew that he was going to fight like hell to fulfill his own agenda, and destroy all those who stood in his way. There was also still the issue of Madara, we would need a miracle to defeat him.

"Last time you saw me you tried to kill me, you have to forgive me if I am a little bitter," in the blink of an eye I grabbed the sword around my neck and squeezed hard, "but your anger is misplaced Sasuke. I know you know the truth about your brother so I don't understand why you won't come back to the people your brother wanted to protect. The only thing that was more precious than the Leaf Village to your brother was you and this is how you choose to treat the Uchiha name," I could feel the anger swelling up inside of my chest, then there was a sickening snap as my hand went numb. I stared down to find that I had crushed the body of the sword. My hand had been impaled by the shards leaving a trail of blood dripping on to the ground before us.

"Do not presume to know anything about me anymore. They ordered my brother to kill his own people," his voice was so quiet I thought for a moment that I had imagined it. When I brought my eyes back up to meet his, for the first time since I could remember Sasuke looked lost. His eyes had returned to their dark hue and his hands had fallen back down to his side. The sword hilt in his hand hit the ground with a loud thud. It was then that a warm hand placed itself on my shoulder, the wind sent his familiar scent spiraling through the air.

"What is wrong with him?" I asked the tall figure that had just appeared behind me. The blood continued to run down my hand mixing with the earth below.

"Some sharingan eyes have particular abilities, these two you found me are particularly powerful. In this case my right eye has the ability to place my enemy in the worst memory they have experienced for however long I deem fit. It is a powerful genjutsu that even I would have difficulty breaking. I apologize for not being here sooner, but I think it is time we leave before the others show up. I can only use this jutsu on one person at once, it requires great concentration on my part to keep it powerful enough to subdue a strong opponent," I nodded my head in understanding, although I could not shake the guilt that I felt. I knew without asking what memory Itachi was keeping Sasuke trapped in, and I knew it hurt Itachi to put his brother through this pain.

"Why don't we just take him back to the village?" I knew the question was perhaps naive, but I did not want to leave Sasuke alone in these empty woods.

"If we did then he would only resent the village even further and just escape, most likely causing many casualties in his path. If we do this properly Sakura we are going to have to make Sasuke want to come back to the village, and the only way to do that is show him that this path he is on will only end in his own demise. Even if he sees me than I suspect he would think I was a figment of his imagination, this is a decision he must draw for himself. It is our job to protect him and figure out a way to kill Madara, only by doing that will Sasuke be freed from his influence. It hurts me too to leave him here Sakura, but there is work we must do," he was right, he always was. Sasuke was just out of reach, yet not he seemed so much further away.

"Goodbye Sasuke," I whispered as I turned my back to the man I loved and disappeared into the night in his brother's arms. I could only imagine what Sasuke would think if he saw the two of us huddled so close together. There was some terrible irony there, but I was too tired to care much to entertain the thought. When we got far enough away from the clearing, Itachi suddenly stopped.

"Do not worry Sakura, he will not remember stumbling upon you in the woods. I suspect the only thing he will recall is waking in the woods to find his sword broken," with all of the gentleness of a lover Itachi slowly brought my hand up to his face. A sudden red tinge of embarrassment rose up on my cheeks.

"I am fine, it was my own fault I let me anger get the better of me. I can heal it," I was about to focus my chalkra on sealing the woods when Itachi shook his head.

"Allow me, I can tend minor wounds," I did not fight Itachi as his eyes shifted to my hand as a green aura enveloped the wounds. I did not fight the smile that found its way onto my face as I took the opportunity to study his handsome features. I loved watching the slight furrowing of his brow when he would get frustrated, usually accompanied by the small bite of the lower lip.

"What are we to do now?" I did not try to cover the uncertainty that slipped through my voice, he always knew how I was feeling even if I tried to hide it. His dark eyes slid up to mine, and for a moment I found myself lost in their depths.

"If we are going to face down our demons, then we need to find where they sleep. Do you trust me Sakura?" I nodded slowly as he took my hand once more and led me further into the words. God help me I trusted him, yet I could not help but think of the boy I left behind in the woods.


	7. Chapter 7

I had lost count of how many days had passed since we last left Sasuke back in that clearing, everything seemed to be jumbled together. In many ways, it seemed like a lifetime ago, buried somewhere back in the now yellowing leaves of the forest. My mind was racing so far ahead of my body that the burning pain in my muscles was easy enough to ignore. I watched silently as the greenery of the forest slowly turned into an array of grey mountains and rocks. It had been days since I had last written to Naruto and I had no doubt he was going to look for me soon. As a result, perhaps to was wise to leave the confines of the village to avoid preliminary searches. A pang of guilt hit me imaging Naruto sitting alone at night wondering why two of his teammates had left him, but if I could Sasuke, then it would be worth it. The oldest Uchiha was unforgiving in his pace, leaving me struggling to keep up with him. He was like a shadow, utterly silent.

My eyes slid over his lithe form watching the way his muscles coiled as he leaped from rock to rock. If it was not for the illness that coursed through his veins then I doubt there was anyone who could stand in this ninja's way. The world around us seemed to slip away as we pushed further and further into what I had gathered was the land of water. We ran through forests, across mountains, and down rivers. I had become so used to moving that when Itachi suddenly stopped in his tracks I almost slammed straight into his back. From our position atop the valley I could see the looming city walls of the land hidden in the mist. I was surprised, Itachi usually tried to avoid other people at all cost. He grabbed a set of cloaks from a hidden pouch he had strapped to his outer thigh. I distantly recalled a traveling merchant Itachi had spoken to a few dozen miles back.

"Sakura put this on and be sure to hide your hair. I have no doubt that Tsunade is missing you by now," I grabbed the dark, soft material. It was only when I stared at the cloak that I realized it was raining. The dark material quickly became covered in an array of lopsided raindrops. I looked at my skin to find water running down my porcelain skin. All of the traveling had left my body utterly numb. I shook the thought out of my head and wrapped the heavy cloak around my shoulders, careful to tuck my pink tresses back. I waited patiently as Itachi followed suit, and took off for the entrance of the village.

"What are we doing here? I thought the plan was to avoid attention," I could not hold back my curiosity any longer. I could feel the stares of the shopkeepers bore into our backs as we walked past the markets. Nartuo had told me once that these people were wary of strangers, but I suppose if I had gone through what they did than I would be as well. I was suddenly very thankful that this was not the place that I called home. I felt the frown spread on my face as the minutes ticked by without a response, he just kept up that damn fast pace. He tore down the roads and through alleyways, but everything seemed unremarkable as usual. My temper was beginning to get the best of me as I struggled to control my breathing.

"I know there are a lot of things you don't tell me, like where you slip off to at night. I understand some need for caution, but I cannot help you if you don't tell me what we are doing," it was then that he froze and slowly turned around to face me. I was unprepared to be staring straight into his sharingan. Although he was not looking at me, but rather over my shoulder. Instantly I heard footsteps coming towards us at a rapid pace, then suddenly stop. I turned around to be faced with a fearsome looking ninja, his headband had orichuimaru's symbol carved into it. I could tell by his facial reaction he was being held in Itachi's newly acquired genjutsu.

"We were being followed since we left the leaf village. I apologize for ignoring you, but I found it imperative to ascertain some information from our new friend. I knew we would not get attacked in the woods, but if they thought we left our guard down then no doubt they would try to move in," they? As soon as the thought crossed my mind from the rooftops above us another person jumped out with a sword pointed straight at Itachi. Something took over me something, wild. I leaped up to meet his lunge and focused a large amount of chakra into my fist. I dodged the blade easy enough and planted my fist two inches below his heart sending him flying hard into the building he had just leaped from. All I knew was that I had to protect Itachi, and then suddenly all of my instincts kicked in. Thankfully because of my intervention Itachi did not have to drop his genjutsu. I landed back on the ground quietly.

"You are quite a force to be reckoned with, Sakura. I doubt even I could withstand a hit so powerful, thank you for disposing of that one," my blood instantly ran cold, disposing?

"I didn't kill him, I just knocked him out," I could see Itachi's gaze flicker to the spot where the other ninja had landed.

"You are right your blow alone did not kill him, but landing on his sword did," suddenly I could not feel my body, I did not want to kill anyone. I leaned against the hard stone of the alleyway and my mind went utterly blank. I had killed Sasori, but he had been evil, untreatable, and he was going to hurt Naruto. I had to kill him in order to help save the ninja world, but this man had been a goon, a pawn. He probably had a family and was just trying to provide for them, and now he was dead because of me.

"Close your eyes," I heard Itachi's velvet voice drift into my consciousness and I allowed my eyes to close, "the feeling will pass in time, but I am afraid we do not have time to dwell here. I have no doubt that others will come soon and we do not have much time to lose. If we are going to find the healer in the mist, we are going to need to keep moving," before I could react he picked me up in bridal style and tore through the alleyways careful now to avoid the hungry eyes of others.

"The healer in the mist?" I had not heard of such a person and surely Lady Tsunade would have mentioned such another powerful healer. I found myself curling into Itachi's warm body, enjoying the feeling of power that seemed to flow from his shoulders.

"My partner from the Akatski had a big mouth, he spoke of a outcasted healer who was both powerful and feared. He was able to solve any illness or disease if you were willing to pay the price," I did not much care for the sounds of this mysterious healer.

"I wouldn't have thought you would pay much attention to folklore," he cracked a small smile and shook his head in disagreement.

"I normally would not give it much thought, but there was something in Kisame's eyes that looked surprisingly like fear. I found myself curious to meet someone who could cause someone as twisted as Kisame to fear his mere name. You have slowed down my disease, Sakura, but it is coming back. If I am going to be strong enough to fight the upcoming battle, I must purify my body," I did not open my mouth again, his tone was final. As he carried me down to the ocean I could only be left to ponder just what the price was for this mystical healer. What else did Itachi have to give, and just how desperate was he?


	8. Chapter 8

It had been five days…five days since I had slept or eaten much of anything…seven days since he disappeared into the morning rain. I could not but help to wonder if this magical 'healer' really knew how to cure the oldest Uchiha. I stared down at the warm bowl of ramen that the old man placed before me. The distant memory of the ramen shop back home made me yearn for its comfort. The wind roared through the small cabin…no this place was far from where I called home, and that thought alone made me feel all of the more lonely.

"This is ridiculous it has already been five days, how much longer will he take?" I stared down the healer from across the table. He was an older man perhaps in his 60's, but something about him made me feel as though he was a lot older. We had arrived at his shack along the ocean a little over a week ago, I remember the day well.

When we got close to where Itachi had tracked the old man he slowed down his pace and, with a deep breath, walked through the final few trees that were hiding our presence. On the shore about thirty feet from the cabin we saw a skinny form crouched over the powerful waves. His long white hair was held back in a makeshift braid that nearly dragged to the ground. He was painfully thin, the long blue robes he wore seemed to hang from only bones. The closer we got to him, the harder it seemed to breath as if the air was getting thinner.

"Be respectful, Sakura. I sense a great power within him," I nodded in understanding as we stopped a few feet from the old man. I clutched my fists in anticipation, Itachi had to be painfully desperate to ask for help. The man gave no physical indication that he had noticed our presence, instead he maintained his odd pose. The closer we got to him, I began to hear him whispering to the water, but I could not quite make out what he was saying.

"I never thought I would see an Uchiha with my own eyes," he chuckled to himself, "well so to speak," I shifted back a few steps uncomfortably as he slowly rose. His bones creaked as he shifted his weight to stand up tall. When he turned around to face as I was surprised to find his eyes utterly white, he was blind.

"You once healed Kisame, of the Akatski, I have come here for a similar request," his face wrinkled in disgust at the mention of the shark-like ninja. Itachi towered over the old man, but he hardly seemed intimidated with Itachi's presence.

"I did not heal him…he healed himself. I would never heal one myself with such a dark heart, but showing him the way would not soil my hands," I had to admit I was not a fan of dealing with ninjas that had dark chakras either, it left a bad taste in my mouth.

"Either way, my time is running out and you are the only one that can help me. This illness," Itachi held his arms out, "is taking over my body, and without your help I will not be able to save my brother," his voice was so quiet I had to strain my ears to hear him. I could practically feel how powerless Itachi felt, it was quite a humbling experience.

"The water told me you were coming, the waves crashed wildly with anticipation. Itachi Uchiha, kin slayer, do you not find your illness a just reward for your actions," I fought the urge to punch the crooked grin straight off of his face, as soon as the thought crossed through my head his unseeing eyes turned their attention towards me.

"As a healer, your duty is to heal those that are in need of your help, judgements are not yours to pass," I recited the words Tsuande had spoken to me once long ago when I too had to heal a murderer.

"Perhaps that is true, Sakura Haruno," I was hardly surprised he knew my name, "student of the fifth Hokage, and now a murderer too I see, but you see I am not a healer anymore. My purpose lies far beyond the stars and sea, I am a keeper of something greater than myself," Itachi stepped protectively in front of me, blocking those white eyes from boring into my soul.

"Then what purpose do you serve now, old man? I am not blind to your power," Itachi's voice had shifted now, it was utterly cold and detached. It never ceased to amaze me how easily Itachi could put up that stone mask. The elderly ninja turned away from us once more and fell to his knees, moving his hands through the cold sand where the water met the earth.

"I am the protector of fate now, I listen to the earth and carry out her will. For she is greater than any of us can ever hope to be," perhaps all of these years in isolation had driven him crazy, but I knew Itachi was growing tired of his games.

"Very well then, so what does the fates say about me?" there was a palpable pause in the air as a strong breeze roared along the beach side. I silently feared for the response that I knew could be brewing beneath that mess of sand and water.

"The fates do not answer to you boy, no matter how important you find yourself. Although, they will help those that help themselves, so if you dare to explore their depths Itachi I will give you the health you seek for your upcoming battles," something about his tone of voice made me want to grab Itachi's hand and run until the salty smell of the beach was a distant memory.

"I will do what is necessary for me to save my brother, I accept your terms," a cold chill ran up my spine at those words, he was never usually so impulsive.

"Then the water will call when it is ready for you," those were the last words the old man spoke. Itachi and I had made camp on the shore for the night. The next morning when I awoke all I saw was his distant form disappearing into a thick fog several miles down the beach. For some reason my lips tasted like blackberries and wildfire. I could only pray that wherever he was, whatever he was doing, he was safe and would find strength for the coming storm. The waves outside crashed violently as I shivered in the small cabin with a blind fortune teller.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sakura POV**

The wind whipped through my hair sending the scent of fresh rainfall spiraling through the air. The trees around me were familiar, but for some reason I could not place where I had seen them before. The landscape before me was a far cry from the beauty of the ocean I had grown accustomed too, but these woods held an ethereal beauty in its own right. The ground beneath my feet was wet from morning dew as I aimlessly wandered through the foliage. Something guided my footsteps, I seemed to know where I had to go. Soon enough the thick foliage gave way to reveal a small waterfall cascading down from the rocks above. Birds soared and screeched in the air above enticing me closer to the clear, cold water running down the bed. The grass swayed enchantingly as I allowed my feet to lead me to the side of the reflective pool. A sudden feeling of unease sat in my stomach as I hesitantly leaned over the edge to peer into its depths.

"Hello Sakura," I gasped to be met with the image of a man staring back at me with the light purple of the rinnegan. A long white cloak obscured most of his ashen body away from my sight, but the necklace around his neck gave his identity away immediately.

"You are the sage of six paths," the edges of his mouth lighted just slightly in what I might've been tempted to call a smile if it had lasted longer. Even from his mere reflection I could feel the chakra that emanated within him. Long light, brown hair fell into his eyes as he stared at me.

"You are quite observant, but I am afraid we do not have much time for pleasantries. I have been watching you. I have seen you and the oldest Uchiha stumble along," I had long ago learned to stop asking questions when the unexplained ended up on my doorstep, "but if you both have forgotten there is war being waged, and I fear the leaf village will fall. Even if you save Sasuke there is not point if you do not win this war," in the rush of everything it was easy to forget what was going on outside of Itachi. A pang of guilt hit my chest thinking about Naruto, Kakashi, Tsunade, and everyone else I had left behind. I could only imagine what they must be thinking happened to me. I studied his face for a moment before speaking again, swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat.

"Surely you did not go through all of this just to tell me we are doomed. Do you have a plan?" I gritted my teeth when he scoffed and rolled his eyes in what seemed to be an over dramatic gesture.

"You mortals are always busy to try and find someone else to solve your problems. I came here to guide you on the right path, Sakura. Naruto and Sasuke are both precious to me and you are the key to keeping them alive through this war, that is why I have appeared before you. Now listen carefully," I leaned forward slightly to hear the conversation, "you and Itachi have to return to the leaf village, but before you do I need you to acquire something of great power. Within the mountains of the land of iron there is a book hidden beneath the earth that has within it a jutsu so powerful that it will be able to turn the tide of the war," my ears suddenly piqued up in interest, surely there cannot be one jutsu with the ability to defeat an entire army.

"What is this jutsu exactly, and how will I know to use it?" I struggled to stop my hands from shaking as I felt the weight of responsibility once again crash on my shoulders.

"Only one who wields a sharingan may use the jutsu, you will know when the time is right Sakura," a wave of panic set in as his image slowly began to fade from view, "I have placed the location of the book in your mind, you have to move quickly. I cannot help you from here, good luck," then as quickly as he had come he was gone without so much as another word.

 **Itachi POV**

Had it been years or hours? Time here was strange, seemingly somehow disconnected from reality. The air around me was so black that I feared death had me in its grip once again, but the occasional flicker of light kept me pushing forward. I could not leave a second for doubt, there were too many lives depending on me to second guess myself. The sickness settled heavier in my bones with each movement.

"You have lasted longer than I would have thought," a loud voice boomed from the darkness. I activated my sharingan as I jumped back into a defensive position, but I could not make out a single chakra signature.

"Come before me if you are going to speak," my muscles tensed in anticipation as I heard the unmistakable grumble of laughter. Then in a flash of light the blackness before me melted away to reveal water all around me, but I could still breath and my clothes were unblemished. My eyes flickered to the large white form in front of me, and my breath almost caught. Before me stood a large man with a billowing white robe, his ashen hair was tied back loosely at the nape of his neck. The horns that protruded form his skull made me all the more aware that he was not any simple human. I would've recognized the marks around his neck anywhere, the sigil was undeniable. I fought to keep my face impassive.

"At last I see you in this world, kinslayer," my fists balled in anger, but I knew better than to attack blindly. Even I knew that I did not stand a chance in my current condition. Beneath my feet the sea churned violently sending the wildlife darting for cover, but I stood amazingly unmoving.

"I have not come here to play games," poison laced my words as I followed his large frame as he stared off into the endless sea before us.

"Nor have I Uchiha. I do not have much time here, and you will do well to listen to what I have come here to tell you. Your brother will die," I clutched my chest, it felt as if a knife had been shoved straight through the flesh, "unless you change the tide of this war. For once, do not be selfish, you must put the good of the village before anything else. If the village falls you will all be slain," the thought of pink hair and blood flashed through my mind and that dagger seemed to dig in even harder. Had this been anyone else, I would of thought them to be a liar, but the sage of six paths was not a man to waste his time on bedtime stories.

"Then I will save the village," I put the authority into my voice, "you give me no other possible course of action. Although I am not naive enough to think that I can do this alone. What would you have me do?" I did not move as he approached me ever so slowly, the rinnegan scanned my every feature within the blink of an eye.

"Do what you should've done in the first place, trust your people and step back. The story of Itachi Uchiha is dead as far as everyone is concerned, just as my story has been sealed. Sakura saved you from the brink of death, but you spent so many hours circling the passageway it left its mark on you," a cold hand shot out from beneath his robe and found its way on my chest, "I will take you from the grip of death once more, but the grim reaper will not be cheated again," I nodded in understanding as I felt the weight in my bones lift and all but disappear from my body.

"Thank you," my body felt renewed, I almost had forgotten what it felt like to be healthy. I knew his help did not come without a cost.

"You would do well to listen to your medic, and when the time comes speak the words and save them all. Not many men get a chance to fix what they destroyed. Farewell, kinslayer," I opened my mouth to object, but a strong force pulled me from the bubble of air I had been occupying. Suddenly the water closed in with a deafening roar, and the world faded to black as I saw his form vanish beneath the waves.

 **Sakura POV**

I shot up from the bed in a cold sweat, had that been a dream? I tried to shake the thought out of my head, but still his words hung on tight to my thoughts. The moonlight poured in from the tiny window in the cottage, the waves pounded against the rocks just outside the door. We had to save the village, we had to do it to protect Sasuke with or without his help.

I grabbed my coat and headed out of the cottage for a walk alongside the beach, Itachi's absence was beginning to make me restless. The sand was cool on my feet as I dragged them through the tiny grains. I moved my eyes up to take in the shoreline when I saw a collapsed form on the shore. My legs moved with impressive speed as I came up beside the shivering man. Itachi sat clutching himself tightly his eyes staring out before him, what had happened to him? I put my hands on his shaking form and he snapped his head to look at me. I barely had time to react as he wrapped his arms around me as if he was scared I would run away.

"We are going to save the leaf and Sasuke, I promise," he whispered to me, and I brought my hands up to return his gesture. The smile on my face spread as I could find no trace of the illness in his body, whatever he had done had worked. The world melted away as I held his shivering form close to me, but a war was coming for us and we had a lot of work left before us.

"We need to go to the land of iron," I sputtered out. His grip did not loosen from around my shoulders, but I could feel him nod in understanding. I could only hope we had the strength left in us to make the journey.


End file.
